Bookcrossing has grown into a global phenomenon in the past decade, but the idea still has not taken off in Hong Kong yet.
BBA alumnus Damon FAN (MARK & MGTO 2003) established a bookcrossing club with BSc alumnus Danny CHEUNG (Chem 2002) back in 2020. But staying in just one location was difficult for them to give out books efficiently. To enhance the book circulation in a more sustainable way, they co-founded Onepile with the idea of digitalizing the bookcrossing process and transforming the traditional book exchange practice into a sustainable social enterprise.
With the help from a fellow HKUST graduate from the software industry, they developed a web-based app and combined with a customized book-vending machine, which became an automated bookcrossing kiosk. This innovation has led Onepile to win the Chan Dang Foundation Social Entrepreneurship Award in 2022 — a new award with grant launched at HKUST that encourages university members to turn creative business ideas into sustainable venture for the greater social good.
Onepile not only promotes the reading culture by giving used books a second life, but also makes a great impact on the community by delivering ESG Goals (Environmental, Social, and Governance) and preserving the planet. As a great example of STEM education and applications, the team also organizes talks and coding classes in schools for young students, and teaches them what IoT (Internet of Things) is about.
Read the full interview here.
